You thought Texas was bad?

[Ben Kenobi]

I wonder if you even understand what Malthus was saying.

f(x) = ax + b
g(x) = cx^2 + d

f'(x) = a
g'(x) = 2cx

Ergo we are boned.

[giblets]

Clearly you're in need of another nickel and I'm fresh out.

I'm pretty sure Kentonio is British and has no need for any nickels.

[giblets]

f(x) = ax + b
g(x) = cx^2 + d

f'(x) = a
g'(x) = 2x

Ergo we are boned.

I'm surprised you can get those equations out of school children within five minutes by asking the right questions. Maybe you should think of becoming a math teacher.

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm surprised you can get those equations out of school children within five minutes by asking the right questions. Maybe you should think of becoming a math teacher.

Yes I open up my derivatives unit with a discussion of Malthus. I'm a history teacher FFS.

It shouldn't be that hard to figure out what questions I'd ask.

[kentonio]

Is the first question 'what did you poor ****ers do to deserve this?'

[giblets]

Yes I open up my derivatives unit with a discussion of Malthus. I'm a history teacher FFS.

It shouldn't be that hard to figure out what questions I'd ask.

I don't know, what counts as "saying something Malthus already said"? Does saying "we have to grow enough food to feed everyone" count in your book? Maybe you want them to say that scarcity of food could be a problem? I really don't know what you're looking for.

[Ben Kenobi]

You'd be surprised what the kids today are getting shoved down their throats. I usually ask them how many people do they think are alive today. That's usually enough to elicit a discussion on overpopulation.

Kids are pumped full of Malthus so I feel it's only fair they get taught the source of it.

[DaShi]

Apparently Da Shi's religion rejects the concept of laziness.

It's only lazy to you because you're not smart enough to even know the time it would take to go from your own classroom to the next. Do you have a "special helper" to get you through the day?

[DaShi]

Interesting that Ben would revel in a deadly sin. I guess all that religion talk was just lip service.

[Ben Kenobi]

It's only lazy to you because you're not smart enough to even know the time it would take to go from your own classroom to the next. Do you have a "special helper" to get you through the day?

Yeah, I suppose you're the kid who does separate parallax calculations for alpha centauri A and B just to 'be sure'.

[Ben Kenobi]

Interesting that Ben would revel in a deadly sin. I guess all that religion talk was just lip service.

Just one?

Remember I'm a republican. I believe in capitalism which is all about being lazy and finding the cheapest, and easiest solution to the problem. If it kills people who cares so long as you save a couple pennies.

[DaShi]

Right, you're incredible stupid. Everything needs to be explained to you. Sorry, not used to talking to someone like you.

Sloth. It means laziness.

[C0ckney]

You'd be surprised what the kids today are getting shoved down their throats.

not really. we've all read the stories about catholic schools.

[Ben Kenobi]

Man, Poly is slow tonight.

[notyoueither]

Not really. Most of that was Malthus and Galton. Darwin did have the 'Descent of Man', but Galton was the one who really got all the sociobiological ideas at the turn of the century fired up. The whole desire to improve the race of man through good breeding and elimination of the inferior mongoloid races - Galton.

Malthus still holds sway today. I can go to any class and within 5 minutes pick out someone stating something Malthus said. And more likely than not not knowing who said it. That's how influential Malthus is to the world today.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Galton

The publication by his cousin Charles Darwin of The Origin of Species in 1859 was an event that changed Galton's life. He came to be gripped by the work, especially the first chapter on "Variation under Domestication" concerning the breeding of domestic animals.

Galton devoted much of the rest of his life to exploring variation in human populations and its implications, at which Darwin had only hinted...

Good job, Ollie.